The story of money: How did humans trade
and what did they use for payment before the
creation of money? Find out how the first
coins were created, why paper money was
first introduced and all the discoveries and
social changes that led to our current
monetary system.
Before money people used bartered goods as
payment; animal hides and teeth. Livestock
was the most valuable commodity. The word
cattle comes from the Latin words “caput” and
“capital” meaning property. Shells were also
used; snail shells, called cowrie, were so
common in Chinese trade that the original
character for money was based on them.
Other goods used for payment were tools,
salt, beads, crops, weapons and tobacco. West
African tribes traded manilas, bracelets and
armbands made of copper and bronze. The
Inca built a great empire without using
money. Goods were provided by the state and
people worshipped gold and silver as part of
their religion. The Aztecs and Maya used cocoa
beans or cotton cloths called